Grade 2-4-In fanciful and imaginative detail, Carter explains how life under the sea is exactly the same as on land-only different. Because his fur might get soggy and matted, Sea-Cat wears a suit lovingly knitted from the seaweed and jewels that he and his mother have found under the water. When the supremely ugly Dragon King sees the beautifully adorned feline, he kidnaps him to get the garment, but of course it doesn't fit him. Sea-Cat's mother then knits the dragon a suit "truly fit for a Dragon King," replete with the ruby tears he has self-pityingly produced, and now he, too, walks the sea bottom in splendor. While the story is slight, and the triumph of accepting oneself because of beautiful clothes is suspect, it is the friendship the three characters forge that serves the book well. With its big words and turns of phrase (Dragon King in his new suit is "a complete festival in himself alone"), Carter's language will delight children. Tatcheva's squiggly line depiction perfectly suits the author's style, and cat lovers as well as animal-fantasy fans will find much to like in this beginning chapter book.
Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 2-4. Dragon King is a kindly ruler of the deep sea. Unfortunately, he is as ugly as he is old. When he encounters young Sea-Cat wearing a beautiful, hand-knit seaweed suit, the king kidnaps the cat, demanding the little animal's clothing. Realizing that the outfit will never fit the huge king, the cat suggests asking his mother to knit a dragon-size creation. She does, and once the ruby-studded ensemble is complete, Dragon King no long feels hideous and ashamed of his appearance. It seems strange to find only black-and-white illustrations in a story that emphasizes color, but Tatcheva's line drawings capture the humor of the story and have solid child appeal. The choice of an easy-reader-size font also seems a bit odd for a tale with such complex language and syntax: "she sat down in her rocking chair and knitted and embroidered everything into a closely fitting, elegantly tailored, wonderfully complicated, waterproof, decorative, scintillating cat suit." This short novella won't be every child's cup of tea, but young fantasy buffs should like it. Kay Weisman
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